Congewai Track Head (East) to Watagan Headquarters

This full day walk starts from the Congewai valley trackhead (east) and follows the Great North Walk up into the Watagan National Park. Winding east along Georges road for the most part, this walk also passes many great lookouts and gives the option of a side trip down to the 125r lookout, which provides a great view to the south and nice spot for lunch. The walk finishes at the Watagan Headquarters campsite, which has a fire place and a picnic table.

(0km) Congewai Valley east trackhead → Property Gate

760 m

17 mins

54m

-12m

Hard track

From the Congewai Valley east trackhead[1], this walk follows the ‘Newcastle’ sign[2] over the stile[3]. Here the walk follows the track gently uphill[4] through the open forest, leaving the Congewai Valley Road behind. After about 500m, this walk comes to a stile[5] (with farmland[6] and a fence on the left).Continue straight: From here[7], this walk climbs over the fence using the stile and follows the track gently uphill[8], keeping the more open farmland[9] on your left. The walk continues for about 300m to an intersection with a wide dirt trail, just before a vehicular gate[10], marked with a GNW arrow post.

(0.76km) Property Gate → Crawford Tank AND Hut

180 m

5 mins

21m

0m

Easy track

Turn right: From the intersection, this walk follows the ‘Drinking Water’ sign[11] up along the wide trail, away from the gate. The trail leads gently uphill for about 150m before coming to a large clearing[12] with a hut[13] and water tank[14]. At the end of this side trip, retrace your steps back to the main walk then Veer right.

Crawford Tank & Hut

This clearing is home to a water tank[15] and hut[16] on the ‘Brown Muir’ farm. The water tank[17] was installed by LPMA in 2011 for walkers undertaking the Great North Walk. This farm and property have been in the owner’s family since original land grants. You are welcome to camp here and use the hut as shelter. The hut is a simple structure with an earth floor[18], some tables[19], seating and some beds[20], although best to sleep in your tent. There is an old pit toilet on the side of the clearing[21]. A sign reminds visitors not to light fires[22], this is a fuel stove only area. Wave and say hello to the owners Jill and Martin if you see them.

(0.76km) Property Gate → Int on GNW bushtrack

1.2 km

31 mins

125m

-1m

Hard track

Veer left: From the intersection, this walk follows the wide trail gently downhill and through the gate[23], and into the signposted ‘Edwin Crawford Conservation Area’. The trail bends right, then starts to lead gently uphill[24] for about 1.2km, until coming to a faint three-way intersection[25] with a track[26] (on the right), marked with a couple of GNW arrow posts[27].

(1.96km) Int on GNW bushtrack → Old Loggers Hut

1.9 km

54 mins

239m

-44m

Hard track

Turn left: From the intersection[28], this walk follows the GNW arrow post uphill[29][30]. After about 700m, the track becomes narrower and much steeper as it climbs up to, then follows, the main ridge line. After about 600m of mostly steep climbing, the track then leads more gently uphill[31], enjoying the views through trees (on the right). The walk continues gently up this section for another 400m, then heads over a small rise and comes down to a T-intersection[32] with the dirt Georges Road marked with a ‘Great North Walk’ sign.Turn right: From the intersection[33], this walk follows the GNW arrow marker gently downhill[34] along the dirt road. After 80m, this walk passes a small dam[35] and comes to an old tin hut[36] (on the left).

Old Loggers Hut

This Old Hut found beside Georges Rd, is in a state of disrepair. The corrugated iron[37] and wooden[38] hut has a dirt floor[39] and a simple fire place. The hut’s condition is poor and would not provide suitable shelter. Just south of the hut is a small dam[40]. The hut was once used by loggers harvesting timber from these hills

(3.82km) Old Loggers Hut → Georges Rd rest area

300 m

5 mins

2m

-2m

Moderate track

Continue straight: From the old loggers hut[42], this walk follows the dirt road north-east along the top of the ridge, initially keeping the hut to your left. After about 300m, the trail leads to a large clearing with great views on the left, Georges Road rest area[43][44].

Georges Road Rest Area

This campsite is located above Wallaby Gully, off Georges Road. The clearing has a scattering of trees[45], and has awesome views of Wallaby Gully[46]. There is room for a few tents and small campfire[47].

(4.12km) Georges Rd rest area → Barraba Campsite

320 m

6 mins

13m

-3m

Moderate track

Continue straight: From Georges Road rest area[48], this walk follows the dirt road gently uphill[49], initially keeping the rest area on your left. The walk continues for about 200m until coming to a three-way intersection[50], marked with a GNW arrow marker.Continue straight: From the intersection[51], this walk follows the ‘Barraba Trig Rest Area’ sign[52] north-east, gently uphill along the trail[53]. Following a few GNW arrow markers over about 90m, this trail then comes to a large flat clearing[54][55] signposted as ‘Barraba campsite’[56], with some lovely large grass trees[57].

Barraba Campsite

Barraba campsite[58], near Georges Road on the Great North Walk, is quiet rest area where campers can stay the night and set up a campfire[59]. The small, semi-secluded campsite is surrounded by lovely large grass trees[60]. The campsite has a ‘Walker register’ book so you can note your intentions. The campsite has no facilities or water.

(4.43km) Barraba Campsite → Saddle Rest Area

1.8 km

43 mins

78m

-164m

Hard track

Continue straight: From the Barraba campsite, this walk follows the ‘Newcastle’ sign[61] east, downhill along the grassy trail. After about 220m, the walk heads past the ‘Barraba Trig Rest Area’ sign[62] (pointing back uphill) to then climb the fence using the stile[63] (beside the gate[64]).Continue straight: From the locked gate[65], this walk heads downhill along the wide dirt trail, directly away from the ‘Barraba Trig’ sign[66]. The trail leads down for about 400m, moderately steeply for a while. As the trail mostly flattens out, the walk climbs over another fence beside a locked gate[67] using the stile[68]. The walk continues down along this trail for almost 200m to pass ‘The Barbara Lowes Conservation area’ sign[69]. Here, the walk climbs over the fence using the stile[70] beside the vehicular gate[71]. There are filtered valley views to your left[72].Continue straight: From the locked gate[73], this walk follows the trail gently downhill[74], while keeping the views on your left (and ignoring the trail on your left). This walk undulates gently up and down the side of the hill for about 1 km, until coming to a saddle[75], with views on the left and dam[76] on the right.

Saddle Rest Area

This rest area consists of a clearing[77] on a saddle, with a small dam nearby[78]. There is space for a number of tents and access to water after rain (treat before use).

Moderate track

Continue straight: From the saddle, this walk follows the trail gently uphill, initially keeping the views on your left and fire dam on your right. The walk continues with the cliffs[79] on your right for just shy of 300m then after another 400m, just past the ‘Private Property/Walkers Only’ sign[80], this walk heads over the fence using a stile[81] beside the gate. There are wide valley views[82] from here, and a clearing on the left[83].

Great North Walk Rest Area

Located on George Road, this rest area is situated by a steep, unfenced drop[84] with spectacular views[85]. There is space for a few tents and a small campfire[86], there are no facilities or water here.

(6.98km) Int of Georges Rd AND Watagans National Park boundary gate → Top of the 125r Lookout trail

1.3 km

33 mins

99m

-53m

Hard track

Continue straight: From the locked gate[87], this walk follows the dirt Georges Road moderately steeply downhill[88] at first, keeping the views[89] on your left. The walk undulates, moderately steeply in a couple of places, winding around the side of a few hills for about 1km, and then heads around a sharp left-hand bend (passing a faint roadside clearing[90], on the right). The walk continues for another 500m along the dirt road to come to a three-way intersection, with 125r trail and ‘125r Lookout’ sign[91] (on the right).

(8.31km) Top of the 125r Lookout trail → 125r Lookout Rest Area

860 m

17 mins

15m

-50m

Moderate track

Veer right: From the intersection[92], this walk follows the ‘125r Lookout’ sign[93] south gently downhill[94] along the grassy trail. The walk continues through forest[95] for about 900m, until coming to the end of the road[96] and an unfenced lookout with wide valley views[97]. At the end of this side trip, retrace your steps back to the main walk then Turn right.

125r Lookout

The 125r Lookout, in the Watagan National Park, is located on a track off Georges Road[98]. This unfenced clearing[99] is on a cliff edge and has broad views o over the surrounding valleys[100][101]. This small clearing has been used as a campsite[102].

(8.31km) Top of the 125r Lookout trail → Northern rest area

1.3 km

31 mins

76m

-68m

Moderate track

Veer left: From the intersection[103], this walk follows the GNW arrow marker east along Georges Road as it first bends left, initially keeping the 125r Lookout track on your right. After about 400m, the road leads down and across a flat saddle, then leads moderately steeply up[104] for about 400m, where the trail mostly flattens out then comes to the top of the hill. There are views[105] from the unfenced cliff here, on the left.

Great North Walk Rest Area

This is a small rest area on the side of Georges Road, providing room to rest up and for a small campfire. There are also some nice views through the trees but be careful as this rest area is near a steep drop.

(9.63km) Northern rest area → Narrow Place Lookout

1.5 km

33 mins

57m

-90m

Moderate track

Continue straight: From the rest area, this walk follows the dirt George Road east, initially keeping the views on your left. The road gently undulates along the ridge for about 1.5km, coming to the unsignposted Narrow Place Lookout[106], where there is a short metal post fence[107] and wide valley (on the left).

Narrow Place Lookout

Narrow Place Lookout is perched high on an partially-fenced[108] cliff and provides great views north over the farmland and bush towards Cessnock[109]. The lookout is beside a dirt road and a fairly large clearing[110].

(11.15km) Narrow Place Lookout → Int of Georges AND Heaton Rds

4.8 km

1 hr 32 mins

134m

-153m

Moderate track

Continue straight: From the Narrow Place lookout[111], this walk follows Georges Road east gently downhill[112], initially keeping the views to your left. The road leads through forest for about 1.8km, ignoring a few smaller side trails until coming to a three-way intersection[113] (with the Congewai Creek track, on the right), marked with a GNW arrow post[114].Continue straight: From the intersection[115][116], this walk follows the GNW arrow post east along the dirt Georges Road as it leads gently downhill[117], initially keeping the main valley to your left. The road leads along the ridge among the tall trees, past a few small clearings and side tracks for about 2.2km to pass a gate and timber fence[118] (on your left). The walk continues along this main road for another 600m, coming to a T-intersection[119] with the dirt Heaton Road, marked with a ‘Watagans National Park’ sign[120].

(15.92km) Int of Georges & Heaton Rds → Forestry H.Q campsite

1.2 km

25 mins

60m

-7m

Moderate track

Veer right: From the intersection[121], this walk follows the ‘The Great North Walk’ sign gently uphill along the dirt Heaton Rd[122]. The road leads up along the ridge through the tall forest for about 1.1km, until coming to a Y-intersection[123] with Bakers Rd and a large sign with many names[124].Veer left: From the intersection[125], this walk follows the ‘Hunters Lookout’ sign[126] gently uphill along Bakers Road[127]. The walk continues along this road for a bit over 150m, coming to a three-way intersection[128], just in front of the signposted ‘Watagan Headquarters’ campsite[129].

Watagan Headquarters

Watagan Headsquarters campsite[130] (aka Forestry HQ) is located in the Heaton State Forest, beside Bakers Rd, near Heaton Rd. This campsite has wood fired barbecues[131], picnic tables[132] and a garbage bin[133]. The large, flat, cleared area[134] allows plenty of room to pitch a tent. In 2010, a series of vandalism attacks occurred on the water tank, so there is no longer water available.

Maps for the Congewai Track Head (East) to Watagan Headquarters walk

You can download the PDF for this walk to print a map.These maps below cover the walk and the wider area around the walk, they are worth carrying for safety reasons.

Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Congewai Track Head (East) to Watagan Headquarters

Overview of this walks grade – based on the AS 2156.1 – 2001

Under this standard, a walk is graded based on the most difficult section of the walk.

Length

17.2 km

Time

7 hrs

.

Grade 4/6

Hard track

AS 2156.1

Gradient

Very steep (4/6)

Quality of track

Rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely (4/6)

Signs

Directional signs along the way (3/6)

Experience Required

Some bushwalking experience recommended (3/6)

Weather

Weather generally has little impact on safety (1/6)

Infrastructure

Limited facilities, not all cliffs are fenced (3/6)

Some more details of this walks Grading

Here is a bit more details explaining grading looking at sections of the walk

Gradient

6km of this walk has gentle hills with occasional steps and another 6km has short steep hills. The remaining (4.8km) is very steep.

Quality of track

11km of this walk follows a clear and well formed track or trail and another 6km follows a formed track, with some branches and other obstacles. The remaining (440m) follows a rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely.

Signs

Around 17km of this walk has directional signs at most intersection, whilst the remaining 170m is clearly signposted.

Experience Required

Around 13km of this walk requires no previous bushwalking experience, whilst the remaining 4.5km requires some bushwalking experience.

weather

This whole walk, 17km is not usually affected by severe weather events (that would unexpectedly impact safety and navigation).

Infrastructure

Around 16km of this walk has limited facilities (such as not all cliffs fenced), whilst the remaining 1.1km is close to useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats).

Similar walks

A list of walks that share part of the track with the Congewai Track Head (East) to Watagan Headquarters walk.

Fire Danger

http://new.wildwalks.com/wildwalks_custom/includes/walk_fire_danger.php?walkid=nsw-wataganp-cttfhc
Each park may have its own fire ban, this rating is only valid for today and is based on information from the RFS Please check the RFS Website for more information.

Weather Forest

This walk starts in the Hunter weather district always check the formal BOM forecast or pdf before starting your walk.
http://new.wildwalks.com/wildwalks_custom/includes/walk_weather_danger.php?walkid=nsw-wataganp-cttfhc
Forecast snapshot